Iterative Design Definition In Game Design

Definition

Interactive Design is a user-oriented field of study that focuses on meaningful communication of media through cyclical and collaborative processes between people and technology. Successful interactive designs have simple, clearly defined goals, a strong purpose and intuitive screen interface.

Examples

Interactive Design is present in most daily activities such as reading, using a phone, using a vending machine, looking through a website, or talking to a person. However, when looking at computer-based media in particular, Interactive Design is present in:

Information architecture – the structural design of shared information environments

Workstation Technologies Information Architecture - Mike Sinkula

Workstation Technologies Info Architecture – Mike Sinkula

Semiotics – the study of signs, symbols, and signification

Source: The Independent

Graphic design – the method of visual communication, and problem-solving through the use of type, space and image

Source: Viktory Creative

Game design – the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game to facilitate interaction between players for playful, healthful, educational, or simulation purposes

Source: gameonpodcast.com

Web design – the production and maintenance of websites

Source: udesign.com

and User interface engineering – the design of user interfaces for machines and software.

Source: Frontpage

Definition

Web 2.0 is the convergence of visual design and communication in the media landscape. It refers to the transition from static HTML Web pages to a more dynamic, organized Web and is based on serving Web applications to users. Improved functionality of Web 2.0 includes open communication with an emphasis on Web-based communities of users, and more open sharing of information. Web 2.0 is used as more of a marketing term than a computer-science term.

Examples

To experience Web 2.0, all you have to do is open your web browser and there. You're seeing Web 2.0. Unless you've set your home page as a blank screen, which is odd. There are many examples of what Web 2.0 is, but here are the main ones, most commonly used by people every day:

Definition

Information design is the defining, planning and visualization of the contents of a message with the intention of achieving particular objectives in relation to the needs of the target users. Instructional design is the systematic process by which instructional materials are designed, developed, and delivered.

Examples

Information design in the form of an Infographic:

Source: forbes.com

Source: infographicspark.com

Instructional design in a layout:

Instructional Design Procedures

Source: shiftelearning.com

Week 1

Web 2.0 is the convergence of visual design and communication in the media landscape.
In 1996, Web 1.0 had 45 million users. 10 years later, after the introduction of Web 2.0, the amount of users had risen to over 1 billion.
Web 2.0 is not a technology, but rather a way of architecting software and businesses.
The web is all about participation and sharing.
As future designers, we will need to understand the greater number of context for our work, be more flexible in engaging with those contexts, and will we need to think about not only publishing but developing an engagement for audiences to participate in that publication.
Convergence is the crossover between communication networks, content (media), and computing/information technology.
Layers of convergence – physical, code, and content. The physical layer is the network through which communication travels and communication devices are connected to one another. The code layer is code/software that operates communications hardware devices (including protocols). The content layer is content that is delivered through the communications infrastructure.
Convergent culture is based on the relationship between these three concepts – media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence.

The lecture covered a lot of areas of Web 2.0 and really helped developed my understanding of what it is and how it works. I think the most important aspect of Web 2.0 would be the layers of convergence and how they work together to allow users (or anybody) to be as creative and as communicative with Web 2.0 as they please.

Week 2

Interactive design consists of 5 key design areas – interactivity, information architecture, time and motion, narrative, and interface.
Interaction Design is "Designing interactive products to support people in their everyday and working lives" and "The design of spaces for human communication and interaction."
Interactive = of or relating to a program that responds to user activity.
Examples of interaction – reading, using a phone, using a vending machine, looking through a website, or talking to a person.

I didn't find this lecture to be that useful, hence why I have less notes than Week 1, however I do think it is important to know what the definition of Interaction Design is and the areas that it covers.

Week 3

Data –> Information –> Knowledge –> Wisdom
Data = Research, Creation, Gathering, and Discovery
Information = Presentation and Organisation
Knowledge = Conversation, Storytelling, and Integration
Wisdom = Contemplation, Evaluation, Interpretation, and Retrospection
The "Pre-Project" of a project is comprised of looking at the client brief, establishing a budget, scheduling times such as a deadline, and a proposal.
Concept and Planning for a project includes a micro schedule, a flowchart, proof of concept, a feature list, design research, and working out what technology is required.
Personas are fictional archetypal users.
A scenario is a narrative describing foreseeable interactions of types of users and the system. In design, a system/program must be designed in preparation of multiple scenario outcomes, so that at no point does the system/program become useless in its purpose.

The breakdown of the design process was useful in this week's lecture, however I found the information on personas and scenarios to be already basic knowledge and did not learn anything more from it.

Week 4

The Static and Kinetic Screen = static is motionless, kinetic is motion.
Andy Polaine is an experience designer focusing on playful interactions and service design research.
Interactivity through the concept of 'play' – Play –> Experience –> Design
Polaine's definition of Interaction Design = "It is a combination of how the elements function: what they do, what they look like, what they look like they do, and the experience of using them. In many cases it is about making complicated things easier and more pleasurable to use.
User = All senses and capacities, especially sight.
User = View + Use.
User Interface (UI) includes visual composition.
Visual Hierarchy is the consideration and treatment of graphic or visual forms on a page or screen.
Infographics is the form of visually guiding the user through content and information.
A 'point of interest' is the focus point or draw card of a composition, and is usually the most important element. It is the entry or starting point of reading or digesting the visual information in a layout.
Composition is visual ecology. Points of interest must be used carefully and not overtake a whole composition. It should not be too weak or hidden, and it should be used appropriately in its purpose.
Contrast is the difference between visual elements in a work.
Typography – Good designers treat text as content. Great designers treat text as user interface.

This lecture further developed my understanding of the Visual Hierarchy in Interaction Design by briefly covering all of the important points, making it easy to follow and understand the basics and fundamentals of hierarchy and its importance in the world of design. The examples used, such as the Twitter home page and other websites or graphics, made it clear how the principles of visual hierarchy work in real world applications that we see every day.

Week 5

Data is information, able to be transferred from one point to another.
Contemporary Interactivity includes hypertextual navigation, immersive navigation, registrational activity, and interactive communications.
Hypertextual navigation – the user has to make reading choices in or from a database, e.g. internet, video games, or a hard drive.
Immersive navigation is becoming immersed in the interface due to its size and space, e.g. virtual reality, simulations, and games.
Registrational interactivity is the process of 'writing back into' collective information, such as leaving comments/responses on Facebook, blogs, Twitter, YouTube videos, and wikis.
Interactive Communications are based on face-to-face communication, e.g. a forum post would be considered less interactive than a live chat site.
Visual-spatial thinking/Gesalt psychology: "A method in which users conceptualise the whole website, by focusing and discerning the function and meaning of visual and spatial objects and their unique characteristics."
The 6 Fundamentals/Principles are Visual Focus, Problem solving, Contextual, Conceptual, Wholeness, and Linear/Non-linear.
Visual Focus is the elements of an interface that users should focus on.
Problem solving is providing the user with a large array of options and paths when navigating an interface, and showing them how to use it most effectively through the use of site maps, navigation toolbars, indices, and headers. It is also important to allow the user to move at their own speed, providing 'skip' options if there is a video or something else that is time-based.
Contextual is placing more contextual information such as visual cues in higher site levels, and/or detailed content in lower site levels.
Conceptual is using familiar icons and graphics that rely on prior user knowledge, and placing those in familiar contexts. Design metaphors are used to help users comprehend the arrangement and content of visual spaces.
Wholeness is group related content using visual shapes, such as shaded boxes or rules, or by using space. Use figure-ground contrast and grouping to help users identify relationships between elements.
Linear and Non-Linear are navigational structures. Linear means that the navigation is in a straight line, and you can't get to the first page from the last page, whereas Non-Linear allows for complete freedom of movement throughout the navigation, and the user can jump anywhere they like at any time.

This week's lecture really helped me to understand the importance of the 6 fundamentals/principles of interface design. Prior to the lecture, I had not been aware of the theoretical explanations of these principles, and the general breakdown in points makes for a good checklist of necessary features that should be used in any/all user interfaces if they are to be effective.